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March 13th –

Today, I wrote this letter to the main character in my new middle grade novel-in-verse. It is a very personal story but one I need to tell. I’ve included an excerpt from my manuscript as well.

The paper card

Name: Nat

Height: 4’11”

Weight: ____

That one blank space

Glaring me 

In the

Face.

“May I 

Go 

To the 

Bathroom?”

I ask

Mr. T.

Nurse Smith

Calls out,

“There’s one

Right there.”

And points five feet away.


But a kindergartener saves the day.

Flies in

Just then

And slams the door

Shut.

“5th grade hallway,”

Mr. T says,

Busy with Joel and Dante

Arguing

Over who goes first

To get measured.

I speed-walk

Out of that

Cramped room

With my classmates

Laughing

And talking 

As they wait

Not bothered

At all.

Not like me

Running from

here.

The scale.

And my number

Being announced

For all to

Hear.

My number

My weight

Filling that

Blank space

And the room with the

Fear

Of all my classmates waiting to hear.

So speed-walking

Turns into a 

Run

And I’m out of breath

When I reach the girls bathroom.

Slamming the metal door

Feels

Like freedom.

Locking it

Feels like

Safety.

Away from that cramped room.

Away from

All the not-worried kids 

holding their cards.


Mine

Is now rolled up

Curved edges

round.

Like me.